This year marked the 5th Annual Runners For Others, an Ignatian 5K, held at Baltimore’s historic Patterson Park on April 29, 2017. Coming off last year’s event where it was sleeting on race-day morning, the weather this year couldn’t have been better—partly sunny with warm breezes. More than 100 runners, along with family, friends and even their dogs, came together to help raise money for social ministry programs at Baltimore-area Jesuit schools, parishes and apostolates.

Students from St. Ignatius Loyola Academy are ready to run for their school.

At 9:00 am, the runners gathered at the starting line where Fr. Bill Watters, SJ, former pastor of St. Ignatius Church and founder of St. Ignatius Loyola Academy, led the group in a prayer. And then they were off, racing and weaving through the scenic fields, trees, and ugh … hills, of Patterson Park. Congratulations to Michael Wegner who won the race with a winning time of 17 min. 28 sec., and to Grace Cosgrove who came in first place for the women, with a time of 22 min. 29 sec.

Fr. Bill Watters, SJ, takes a moment to pray with the runners.

After the race, the BeyondThe Finish Line award was presented to Ralph Eugene Moore, Jr., a community volunteer who has dedicated so much of his time and talent to youth development programs in Baltimore. The Beyond the Finish Line award is given to an individual who exemplifies what it means to be a brother or sister for others.

Ralph Moore, Jr. was the much-deserved recipient of the Beyond The Finish Line award.

The turnout from family and friends is always appreciated, and we thank everyone who showed up to help cheer on the runners. We also extend a very sincere thanks to all the race sponsors and volunteers who help make this such a successful event each year. From financial support, to in-kind donations, to volunteers who help with everything from setting up to handing out water at the finish line, we couldn’t have done it without you.

Heading for the finish line!

A very special thank you to our race committee co-chairs, Steve Eberle and Justin White. They dedicated much of their spare time to leading an awesome committee in the planning and implementation of this great event. Steve is the regional director for the Ignatian Volunteer Corps, and Justin White is a Theology teacher at Cristo Rey High School in Baltimore.

Runners congratulate each other for coming together for such a great cause.

May 27, 2020 - Now more than ever, we invoke God to wipe away the darkness of anxiety, allowing us to be guided by the light of Christ and to trust in God’s promise of new life. Over the last few months, our Jesuit provinces have been in a place we don’t often find ourselves, a place that saw our schools closed, parishes empty, and the halls of our retreat centers giving new meaning to the word “silent.”

May 12, 2020 - Susan Baber has been named the Associate Provincial Assistant for Secondary Education for the new USA East Jesuit Province. The new province will come into being on July 31, Susan will assume this new role in August.